Chouchou is Back!

My friend and amazing builder and clothier, Drake Huet (known to Flickr as Smiles), advised me that Chouchou is back and has a huge amazing building added. I had to see for myself and was delighted to find some of the same general look to the main area complete with piano and tree, but I also found the huge light building with seemingly a million stairs and 14,890 prim. There is seating then a stage area showcasing none other than another piano. I think the background music remains the same as always from what I can remember. This was a very cool sim before and it's even better now. Check it out here: ChouchouHere. Then tp down or drop down to what I consider the "old" Chouchou area.

Imagine Plus Art Land-Great Explore!

My exploring buddy, Cafi Rang, and I had a great time- actually a couple of times- in this Imagine Plus Art Land area. The main area itself was an impressive explore with many different and unusual things to look at, but there is also a tp box with 7 adjoined areas to explore. One of my old SL favorites, Art Box, has a section. We also found something new to us, Nogurin Kidd has the Kidd Factory store and has built an area in Imagine Plus around his fun toylike animated things that I made a short quick video out of. It seems almost everything is clickable and animated with some fun pranky type freebies that I love. This is such a fun place to play.
The Imagine Plus Art Group Includes:
-4000m Eternal Saga-ball room built by Sweetlemon Jewell
-3950m Dream Bridge-Illustration Gallery curated by Mason Ringo
-3500m Quintessence Bark Aabye Photo Gallery-built by Dazzai Voom
-3000m n&n-Naho Aya & Nogurin Kidd funny goods shop
-2000m 180Portraits-built by Selvay Oh, photo by Bark Aabye
1500m Shoji Kumaki Photo Gallery
1000m Art Box-Ukiyoe-by Frankie Rockett & Violet Sweetwater
20m Monolith-teleport station
Imagine Art Group

This whole area is seriously worth a visit. Check it out: ImagineHere.

Imagine Plus Art Land, Fun Sim, Kidd's Factory --time to play! from Kara Trapdoor on Vimeo.

Music used is No Doubt: Different People

Persia Bravin hits The Late Show today

My friend Persia Bravin was a guest on The Late Show with Numbers Rossini. Persia is a RL journalist who is CEO of BOSL radio, and is a SL media mogul in print, radio and TV. To me she seems best known for being a very respected hard worker with a super sexy voice that guys and gals alike can appreciate and I don't know anyone that meets her who is not very impressed with her style and charm. The Late Show is in David Letterman style and started with a top 15 list of things to not say when stopped by a cop, as Numbers had been this week. The show started a little late due to technical problems and around that time I had some audio technical problems myself, so I didn't get to stay for the rest of the show, but Persia linked the video to her Flickr. Persia talked about her history in media in SL and she has been a very very busy woman. I will put the link here for anyone who is interested, as it is actually a very entertaining show. Check it out. PersiaLateShowHere.

Third World Asylum-another very cool sim!

Direct link ThirdWorldHere "There should be somewhere on Earth no nation could claim as it's property. A place where all human beings of goodwill, sincere in their aspiration, could live freely as citizens of the world..."
I met up with Vanessa Opaque one of the sim owners and she gave me a link to the events. ThirdWorldBlog.
Then I realized I have visited before but things have changed a lot. I guess this is one to go back to again and again, as it was amazing the first time around and fantastic this time too. Check it out.

Weekend Things to Remember to Do

-Summer of Love Fair (fashion and mental health awareness) July 18 through August 18.
SummerOfLoveHere.

-Azul Contest Finals 7-24-10 at 10am SLT =AzulFinals.

-Proposers Hunt: June 15 through August 5th. Starting point Essential Soul
PoseHunt.

Christov by a poster of the outfit made for him and for sale now. He is wearing it in my pic.

-Friend Christov Kohnke singing at 11SLT Juy 24 at Funky Town. FunkyTown. Grand re-opening of Funky Town sim.. a very cute sim with lots to see and do.

-Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School presents the all male review July 24 from 3-5 SLT with dj Kahless unplugged while you sketch along from the comfort of home at this thematic event with the male review models. DrSketchy.

-Bi-annual cart sale at The Car Wash, nothing over 10L. July 21 through August 15. Car Wash turns 2 years old. CarWashHere.

-Industry District Opening Celebration Weekend events/hunts etc. Many name brand stores. July 22-26. IndustryDistrict.

-Lance Rembrandt CD launch party at Pop Art Lab July 24 at 12 SLT. CDLanchPopArtLabHere.

-Live! Music Festival for the Cure. July 24th, 9 hours of live music for breast cancer cure. Donations go to the Komen 60 Miles in 3 Days for a Cure charity. Saturday 24 July 2010, 11:00 – 20:00 SLT, Costa Rica Sims

Miss Azul, 2010 Contest

Today the Miss Azul pre-finalists presented themselves to the judges and spectators and answered questions. Five finalist were chosen to participate in the finals next week July, 24. I love Azul dresses and ended up taking so many pictures I decided to just put a few into a slide show--shown here. For anyone who thinks modeling is easy, I think they should just see how cool and collected these ladies were in lag and under pressure to answer some pretty tough questions. One of the judges, BOSL, Frolic Mills seemed to hand out the toughies. The question of the day was posed to Emma Portilo by Frolic Mills:

"Frolic Mills shouts: If you win this contest, you will get a free pass to MISS VIRTUAL WORLD. Imagine Mami Jewell makes your dress for the MVW final evening and you think it is the ugliest piece of crap ever! - What would you do?"

This had the audience feeling compassion for Ms. Portio calling Mr. Mills Darth Vadar and evil. And while the audience was shouting things like "throw it in the trash", etc. the classy Ms. Portilo didn't miss a beat with her answer.
"Emma Portilo shouts: I am sure, knowing the quality and distinctive tastes of Azul, that would not be the case. However, I would hold my head proudly and style distinctively and proceed with honor for carrying the title of both Miss Azul as well as a Miss Virtual World finalist."

Then he had the guts to ask Vikeejeah Xevion what many were probably wondering:
"Frolic Mills shouts: Vikee hun - I am convinced that passion in what you do is key to sucess. What can you say to convince us that you are in this contest for your passion of the AZUL brand and NOT for some free lindens, clothes and fame?"
Vikee's response via translator:
"Ponchituti Boucher shouts: Vikeejeah Xevion: I think based on my styling in your 105 class and my daily styling in general I have proven I am not in this for the money :). I too was a designer once and I appreciate and admire the skill and artistry of virtual clothing design. I am in love with modeling and have been fortunate enough to briefly get to know Mami and I think she is wonderful. This confirms my desire to represent her and her brand and that is why I wish to win this contest."

Maybe the tougher questions helped these ladies because both made it to the finals, which include:
-Emma Portilo
-Tania Tebaldi
-Vikeejeah Xevion
-Shae Sixpence
-Estella Parx
Join them July 24th for the finals.

Azul Pre-Finals in Second Life from Kara Trapdoor on Vimeo.

Relay For Life, Journey:24 hour event, walk and entertainment -Closing Ceremony July 17

More Birthdays




My RFL Linden Bear
Tomorrow Saturday July 17, 2010 is the big American Cancer Society's Relay for Life closing ceremony 24 hour event. Over 35 countries will come together in Second Life to raise money for this cause. There are many sims and the place is amazing with huge and beautiful builds, sites to see and entertainment along the walk route. This is an explorer's dream, as I saw an Alice in Wonderland area, More Birthday's area, many many other interesting sites, and heard there is a sim size maze. The 2010 Relay for Life of Second Life theme is
"Wishing on a Cure".


Today I took an early tour of the area and set a SLurl link in front of the spectacular BOSL Tower of Hope on the path. The main road is lined with donation luminaries that light up when a donation is made to each and a person can leave their name as the donor or set it with a memorial name. When a donation to the luminary is made it changes color and you also get a scripted color changing luminary to take home.

The named luminaries









BOSL Tower of Hope




Frolic Mills & Others Tell "Why I Relay"



Check it out here: RFLHere.
The magnificent glowing BOSL Tower of Hope structure is best seen in dark light like midnight setting and is filled with plaques by designers who were involved in Relay for Life with their picture and statement of why they relay. There is even cool stuff under the water so don't miss the "eyeball" LOL! There is a gondola tour ride through the Tower of Hope.

Next door to BOSL is a treet.tv booth which offers some additional information about the day's events, Relay for Life in SL and the live musician's schedule. Among other things, you can get a free "walk and talk" line where you can walk hands free to chat in a Congo type line with friends.



There are 3 stages set up for entertainment during breaks from the walk.
Saturday 17th
12:00 PM Newbawn Easterwood
01:00 PM Zerbie Magic
02:00 PM Johnny99 Gumshoe
03:00 PM Rock DOghous
04:00 PM Nonge Shipman
05:00 PM Dominic Manatiso
06:00 PM Mikelec Criss
07:00 PM Molly Serpente
08:00 PM Automatic Quandry
09:00 PM Luminary Ceremony

Information provided at the event includes the following:
(see also my first and subsequent blog posts regarding some SL involvement I attended)
What is Relay for Life of Second Life?
Relay for Life of Second Life is held on its own set of sims in July, and highly publicized throughout Second Life. Fundraising begins early in March, and continues through the Relay event in July and into August. On July 17th, the teams meet on a track where each team has a campsite they have decorated themselves, most according to a theme of their own choosing. Relayers walk around the track all night to symbolize that the fight against cancer never sleeps. The Relay for Life of Second Life includes a number of music events, and an all-night radio broadcast that can be heard all around the track."

Crazy Arse Hair Hunt 2 begins!!!!

Whooohooo, it's finally time for the Crazy Arse Hair Hunt 2. I have been looking forward to this ever since I saw all the crazy cool free hair friends got in the last one. The hunt begins today July 15 and runs through August 15, 2010. The theme of the hunt is "Monster Hair" and it's not about "real" hair, but it's about what has been created and about fun hair that turns heads. There is a Flickr group too. I ran out to The U-Neek and found my first one (there are a few there) and put it on for a pic here. The googly eyes move! Look for a green and red textured gummi bear. There is no real order and no group to join.

The stores involved are: Ripe, Vanity Hair, BC322 Skull&Bones, DarkerSide, Dreams, 3636, DNR, griddie, NVM NeVerMind, Curious Kitties, Hate This, Alli&Alli Designs, allusions, Aqua, BattleAngel, Bizarre Hair, BoomBoom POW, Burning Chrome, ChiChickie!, Cilian'gel Boutique, Concrete Flowers, Couture chapeau, Crimson + Clover in Space!, Death Hunger, Discord Designs, Eclectism, FaerieMagic, Ganked, Grim Bros, HeltEr SkElTeR Mainstore, Jester j's Joyful Jokes, La Boheme, Lillipop Z, M&K, Miasnow, NDN, Nushru, Omega Point, Philotic Energy, Psyberia, Rainy Day Prims Shop, Rotten Toe, Skinthesis, Soap, Stuff & Thingees, Tekeli-li, The U-Neek, Thea Tamura Fashion, thick, Tiger Tower, W.Winx Mainstore, & Tea Lane-hope I didn't miss any.

SLumber Party

For more SLumber Party fun check Ant's video next and my Flickr here: KaraFlickrPicsHere.

One of the funny things about this is that of all the billions of pj's in SL and about 20 pair I alone have in my inventory, Ant showed up in the very same pair, and we didn't even know each other had these. Ant was so sweet and said she'd change and I said, nooo, lets go with this, and so then Christie got a matching pair off Xstreet. The pj's have additional options and are cheap at 99L. They are called Love Skulls Pajamas. SL is great. At the slumber party we jumped on the bed, put on facial masks and cucumber eye treatments, did each other's makeup, hair and nails, of course posed and joked around, had a pillow fight, changed outfits and danced on the beach. I guess we never did get around to sleeping--- just like RL.

Kara's Slumber Party Machinima by Antoinette Guisse

Remix Yo Life, Yo Under Construction -cool sim

This is a cool looking new sim I found today. I don't know much about it as I could not stay long, but it has a great look to it with some special effect areas and I'm sure it will be great for pictures and exploring. Check it out here: RemixYoLifeUnderConstructionHere.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL FLUIDITY COLLABORATION PROJECT-grand opening today July 11

GRAND OPENING PARTY - JULY 11, 2010 - 12:00PM/NOON SLT-- previously blogged. This is a cool sim and the grand opening event is today. Grandopeningtoday.

Blues for Africa July 10-18, 2010

Here is a week long charity event with many many high profile SL live musicians performing for this good cause.
BluesEventforACause.
Live and Learn in Kenya is sponsoring this event to assist the hungry children in Africa. I dont' know a lot about it, but recognize a bunch of the performers, so go to this link for more info.

Art of the Artists Machinima Contest: 40,000L First Prize

The University of Western Austraila has begun a new machinima challenge that runs from July 7 to September 20, 2010. The challenge is to Create a Machinima of between 2 and 5 minutes in length that features some of the winning artworks from the UWA 3D Art & Design Challenge. There are more than 35 artworks spread across 4 floors, and you can choose to film as many (or as few) as you like.

This sounds like a fun contest and UWA is known for such artistic contests with great prizes, publicity and fun events. For more information about them and this contest check it out here:UWAHere.

Here I will list some other great machinima web sites and some sites that are helpful when getting started with machinima. Machinima can be a very fun hobby, way to showcase or publicise an event or avatar, or even develop an income in SL as a producer. If interested in seeing more or learning more about machinima check these out:

One of my favs: MAGHere.

Some high quality professional machinima: PROMAGHere.

One of the best all encompassing (almost all lol) sites for beginners I have seen so far, including what tools to use and where to get them and how to make good machinima. This is a must visit for beginners as well as seasoned machinimatographers alike. Note all sections because there is a learning tool machinima that includes yours truly: MAGInVirtualWorldsHere.

A good friend's professional site: LoweRunoHere.

Insight into different aspects of machinima and another good friend's blog that also includes me in some places, yay!: MagnumSoniHere.

Another's friend's helpful and interesting site: SpyVspyHere.

Another good site featuring machinima and related news: AViewTVHere.

Of course there are many many other good machinima sites, but these happen to be some of my favorites and good ones to get people started and see other great works. Youtube and Vimeo are also great spots to view a lot of machinima. Have fun with the contest if you decide to participate.

Hybrid Productions

Today I visited South Purden-Hybrid Productions, State of the Art Sim with special events last Friday and again tomorrow, Sunday the 11th of July, 2010.
The sim apparently is open from July 2 though July 12, so if you want to visit 'better hustle on over. Signs indicated the party event tomorrow has dress code of "spooky" all black or all white. H-Productions is presenting the official album SL release party with Swedish H-Prod artists,
Cari Lekebusch, Kimono and Jesper Dahlback. The sim is by Herm Worsley. More information can be obtained from their web site HybridHere.







I dropped in to a dark black and white kind of surreal forest scene with a lot of glow and stray lights, and bit of lag that made me regret wearing my Moodys and high prim hair, but not for long because I was way too distracted by the sites to care about lag. Besides, I know how to cam. The sim is all dark and bright, leaning toward the black side with many twisted and bent trees, tall white and glowing grasses, some sculptures and 3 animal items (owl, spider and lion) to search for and take when found that are filled with prizes. The other visitors were all exclaiming how cool the place was too, so I guess it was not just me that was impressed with the look and feel of the place. There is a stage area I assume set up for the musician's shows. There are 5 main sim areas including Macabre/Goth Night area, Bodaysnatcher Shiverer, Event space, State of the Art area, and Artist info section. Watch out for the giant spider that likes to attack. Just follow the yellow path. Have fun, I did!

Check it all out here: PurdenHybridHere.

Something Weird

SnakeSwallowsHippoHere.

Ok, so this is not SL related at all, but I saw it and it was like a train wreck to me. I just could not look away. Watch if you want to be freaked out... or not.

Operation Squeegee

By now everyone has probably already visited the Operation Squeegee area, but this is such a good cause I figured better to blog kind of late than never. Besides its not over until July 15th, so there is plenty of time to visit again and again and attend events.

Operations Squeegee is a benefit to help the ecosystem and all it's residents recover from the oil spill disaster. All funds collected go toward the National Wildlife Federation via Operation Squeegee.

The main area has a ton of cute items laid out for sale and for free. I found a lot of things I couldn't' live without and they were great prices or free and benefited this cause, so well worth any L I spent. Offerings for sale are of all varieties, with something for anyone I think including a lot of clothes, novelties, poses, skyboxes, etc.

My friend Cafi Rang first told me about Operation Squeegee, then I started to receive information, and I have dropped in several times to shop or see an event. Sunday the 4th I had some fun while Slim Warrior DJ'd some sets at Extreme Reality Headquarters. This was pretty funny as the pogo sticks, crazy carry balloons, duct tape and toilet paper, ban lines and cakes were just flying.

Getting Carried Away at an Event


Slim Warrior DJ

Operation Squeegee runs from July 1st through July 15, 2010. Here is a list of some of the freebies offered (per a note I received and some things I saw) and there is also the Eleventy Linden Hunt and events to attend.


Squeegee Leather Bangles - Sn@tch
Squeegee Oil Spil Tank - SySy's Designs
Operation Squeegee Tee Top - *Dreams*
Morning Glories in a jar (flowers) - Noctis
Ornate Wall Candle - Noctis
Sparkler of Joy - [Grimalkin]
Squeegee Rescue Bucket - `*~Zanzibar creationZ~*`
Squeegee Binoculars - `*~Zanzibar creationZ~*`
Operation Squeegee Duckie Shoulder Pet - Fire GOOD!!!


Check it out here: OperationSqueegeeHere.
Also be sure to check out the web site: Operationsqueegee.blogspot.com

The Environmental Fluidity Collaborative Project: Caerleon Isle, Auraltopia... a cool place to visit

The Environmental Fluidity Collaborative Project opened July 4th and runs through the end of the month of July, 2010. Enjoy this adventure and explore the magic of prims.


I received a note from my friend Pixel Reanimator who suggested I visit this sim and I am very appreciative of the lead, as Auraltopia is interactive and fun; just my style. In my opinion it has a slower start but gained my interest along the way with some very unique and amazing things that should be experienced by all.

The intro. sign explained some things about the many "sections" of Auraltopia. There is:"Stuck in My Head", "I-Composer", and "Magnetone", where sounds are flung around inside a magnetic force field creating a Doppler type effect that changes as you move.



I took a tp to Phantisma and rode a cloud to a cartoonish looking area that had all kinds of things that moved and could be ridden or touched and changed. I rode a great winged creature around then I touched some roots of a tree that had a face and ended up riding a marble type sphere down and around a shoot to another area "Primatecture" that housed many sections of shape changing items, including what looked like multi colored jello cubes that moved when walked through.

I ended up taking some magic doors to some more cubed places including one with a vanity mirror that actually seemed to show your reflection.. which is a first for me in SL. When I hit the computer room and shrunk down and got stuck inside a computer and could see myself moving around actually trying to get out I just HAD to tp in some friends to see this phenomenon. Then I took a very strange computer mouse ride and ended up eating some cookies to get large again.








Later on a boat ride took me right through a mountain and down into the water into Aquatica. Giant hands were fish feeding and netting strange water animals. There really are all kinds of intriguing things around.. and you just have to keep moving ahead to find what you really like. Here I was hypnotised, levitated and put through a ring and tossed about like magic. I honestly just wanted to tp in everyone I know to see all this.

Then came Evotropolis, which I can't really even describe.. You just have to visit. All I know is that at first it was some strange planty type area then changed right before my eyes to a old town prop area and I couldn't even find the parts to how it looked before. Then when I blinked or something it changed to a park type area.. and with so many details I did not want to miss a thing. This place does take a while to explore properly.

Last I made it to Exquisite Corpse where I found the Primulator which generates a prim individuals can add to a structure.. Your prim or prims have your name on it but will derezz or "die" after 12 hours of being rezzed. This is an opportunity for participants to be a part of the ever changing collaborative work of art.

All in all there were 15 sections to this exhibit. Worth the trip. Visit here: CaerleonIsleHere.

The artists/creators

Summer Time USA Sim-Happy Independence Day America

My friend Laura Liberty makes great holiday sims and once again she came through with an amazingly fun 4th of July/family theme sim to play, shop, get freebies, and see things in. All her displays are very interactive, which I love, so I visited and made a little video. One of the first things I did was grab one of the free band costumes that includes all instruments, and jumped on the pose balls with some other visitors to take a little sync'd marching band trip around the area. Next I took some food from the long potluck table filled with click and rez free picnic type foods. I participated in a pie eating contest and forgot my free bib until after I had filmed a little. I cooked out on the grill and was given a free chef's hat and spatula. The sim has a sack race with free sacks and track to play on. There is a beautiful Statue of Liberty fireworks display to watch, Mt. Rushmore scenery on the far side, water balloons, laundry, hopscotch, a variety of free holiday hats, a slip 'n slide into a wading pool with poses, face painting with free facial tattoos given, and plenty of shops with great home decor, clothes, novelties and gifts. Around the corner is an adorable soda fountain with free animated hula hoops, free ice creams and other snack goodies, and places to dance and play. Laura Liberty... the name is ironic for the holiday sim she made. Have a great Independence day Americans. If you are not American, this is still a cute wholesome hometown style sim to enjoy. Watch the video, then check out her cool sim here: SummerTimeUSASimHere.

Happy 4th of July America 2010 from Kara Trapdoor on Vimeo.

Ripple

Ripple: A Meditation on Waves

Today I visited "Ripple: a meditation on waves" exhibition by Douglas Story & Desdemona Enfield and hosted by Tayzia Abattoir of New Media Consortium. The sonic environment is by March Macbain a.k.a. Emily Wilkins in real life. Liz Russotti of Santa Barbara City College provided the space for them to develop this piece.
Ariel view showing control panel. Dots below are visitors on the dance floor.

Doug Story and Friend

I had a sneak peak tour of this sim some months ago with an educational group and it's design remains as impressive the second time around. The "touch to change" land houses a huge vase shaped structure that from inside touch panels create a ripple effect of panel color/design changes throughout the chamber. There is ambient soothing sounds generated with the panel movement and changes. There are actually two levels and from the top there are additional controls at the end of an invisible walkway. There are also faint floater ball spheres that can be ridden around inside the chamber and there is dancing at the base. While at the event today Zach Cale played piano and sang for our entertainment and I thought it was cute when he sang "All the Little Fishes" and the walls changed to moving fish visuals.

The information provided indicated additional information about history, techniques, artist's background, credits and statements can be found on their web site http://slripple.blogspot.com/

Check out Ripple here:
RippleHere.


Zach Cale on Piano